Friday, 16 March 2012

Full Shropshire Breakfast

I'm a bit nervous of writing this post because I'm sure every B&B in the land has their own way of cooking a Full English and there are bound to be criticisms. But this is the way I do it anyway .....

Most guests come to an English B&B and expect a cooked breakfast. I offer freshly baked muffins, cereals, fruits, omelettes and lots of other choices but 95% of people still ask for something cooked. I give guests a choice as very people can manage the "Full English". If you're brave enough to give it a go - don't make plans for lunch - you may be hungry enough again by mid afternoon to fit in some afternoon tea.

I like to fry the sausages on a very low heat. I find this stops them going wrinkly and you get a lovely golden brown colour. I don't prick them when I do it this way. This is obviously the least healthy way to cook them & you can grill or oven bake instead.

I do grill the bacon. I love the taste of fried bacon but I've got to make up for the sausages & fried bread some way! I also struggle to get the fat crispy enough for most peoples' liking when I fry bacon.

I offer guests a choice of egg- poached, scrambled or fried.

There have been a number of discussions on Twitter about whether a B&B should serve up baked beans or not. I would rather not as they upset the aesthetics of a beautifully cooked breakfast! But I reckon 50% of people request them here so I do give guests the option. I always use Heinz Beans.

Allow 30 minutes for preparation and cooking time.

Ingredients

1 thick or 2 thin pork sausage ( from a good local butcher if at all possible )
2 slices of dry cured back bacon ( ditto )
1 or 2 slices of Black Pudding
1 or 2 eggs
1 tomato, as red & sweet as you can get them ( otherwise I would leave out altogether )
1 large flat mushroom
White Bread
Baked Beans
Olive oil ( or bacon fat for the purists )
salt and pepper

I fry the sausages on a very low heat for about half an hour. If you have an Aga you can fry on the bottom of the oven floor. Use a small amount of oil in the frying pan. Keep an eye on them and turn regularly. About 15 minutes before serving I put the black pudding into the same pan and cook turning occasionally.

Line the grill pan with foil and put a plate in the oven to warm.

Slice the tomatoes and put them on the grill pan with a small amount of salt pepper and olive oil. When I have fresh herbs available I like to scatter a few thyme or basil leaves on the tomato. Grill them for about 5 minutes. ( You could also roast them for about 20 minutes in the AGA or a hot oven )

Melt a small amount of butter and brush the mushroom all over. Add the mushroom and bacon to the grill pan. As soon as the bacon starts to curl, turn it over and grill until your desired level of crispiness in reached.

Heat the beans in pan.

At the point you turn the bacon, heat some oil on a medium heat in a large frying pan and add a slice of white bread ( the simmering plate on the AGA is perfect for this ). Keep an eye on the bread and turn it occasionally, cooking until crispy and golden brown.

Heat some oil in a small pan over a high heat. When it started to shimmer add the egg. Using a large spoon baste the top of the egg with the oil to ensure all of the white is cooked. Mr BnB likes me to put salt and pepper on the top of his egg yolk before basting it.

Dish it all up, add brown sauce, tomato sauce or mustard if desired, enjoy then go for a long walk!